Direct observation of Chilean hake (Merluccius gayi gayi) behaviour in response to trawling in a South Central Chilean fishery

The behaviour of Chilean hake (Merluccius gayi gayi) in a bottom trawl was observed with an underwater camera positioned in the trawl mouth and in the front of the codend extension. Significant differences were observed in the fish behaviour in the two sections, demonstrating that this species is more active in the mouth of the net. The fish activity was lower in the trawl extension, where the fish were merely carried by the flow into the net.